I wanted to share a few memories of 9-11-01. We lived in Arizona during this tragedy. I remember watching the TV screen in horror while getting ready to go to work. I worked in the 26 story QWEST building in downtown Phoenix and arriving at work was worrisome. At that point in time, reports were filtering about the plane hitting the Pentagon, then the one that crashed in PA. There were rumors flying that more planes were in the air, targeting buildings all over the US. We could stand at the window overlooking the IRS building and see men on the roof, standing guard with machine guns. We normally had a great view of the planes leaving Sky Harbor Airport, but there were no planes. The only planes you could see or hear were the fighter jets, screaming through the sky, from nearby Luke Air Force Base. It was very disquieting. It was hard to focus on work. We would walk in and out of the break room where the TV blared all the breaking news.
Shortly after this event, the mandatory fire drill was held. Normally, when we would file down the stairs and out of the building, to meet at our designated gathering place in the parking garage, there would be talking, laughing, greeting co-workers from different floors and groaning at the enforced exercise and personal relief, I worked on the 12th (actually the 13th) floor instead of the 26th.
That particular drill, everyone filed silently down the stairs. I believe we were all reflecting on the thoughts and feelings of the victims of 9-11 as they traced the same steps, knowing it was not a drill and it was real.
That event changed all of us on a national and a personal level. I would like to include a link to a recent video I received regarding the
World Trade Center Memorial.
I had on the Today Show as I was doing my morning chores and heard the news of the first tower, then watch in horror at the live coverage. Dick happened to come home shortly afterward the second hit, and he was yelling to the TV for them to CLOSE THE AIRPORTS!!! He and I both knew these were not accidents. All our lives have been forever changed by the terrorist acts committed that day. We will never forget...
ReplyDeleteOn that day, at the age of 50, has finally able to go to school get my degree In fashion design. I stopped at McDonald’s to get coffee and the girl at the window said something about the situation. I really had no clue as to what was going on until I got to school. My first day of school was canceled. Everyone was devastated.
ReplyDeleteI was in traffic on my way to the 1801 buying in Denver. We watched on my computer screen as the second tower fell. My husband worked for the Federal government and was in a rower directly across the street. The VPs came through and evacuated all of us. I filled my car with coworkers that rode the bus to get them home. My husband stayed behind to help evacuate his building and get the physically impaired employees out. I got home about two hours before he did. I’ve never been so scared in my life. He made it home and helped all those people in the downtown Fed Center building get out safely. He put his safety behind his coworkers on that day. He will always be my hero.
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